PM Mitsotakis, UAE leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan focus on RES, investments

During the meeting at Maximos Mansion government headquarters, Mitsotakis briefed the UAE president on infrastructure being built in Greece in importing, storing, and regasifying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which will turn the country into a major hub of energy entry point and a link between the Middle East and Europe. The PM also congratulated the sheikh on assuming his duties as UAE president.

"You known how highly we value our bilateral relations," Mitsotakis said. "We have already accomplished a lot and will do even more at the level of our collaboration," he added at the start of the meeting. In addition, he noted that the United Arab Emirates will be the honored country at the annual Thessaloniki International Fair to be held in a few weeks, and expressed the hope the UAE would be able to head his country's delegation himself. The UAE are a consistent strategic partner of Greece, with a leading role in the Gulf region and globally, he underlined.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan apologized for delaying his visit but added that UAE-Greece relations are very important and his commitment is to seeing them bearing fruit. 

The sheikh acknowledged progress in bilateral relations during the last two years, and said the relations could be upgraded further, since the foundation already built was very strong. 

The two leaders had met most recently when the Greek PM paid an official visit to Abu Dhabi in May to discuss investment relations and their expansion. Earlier, in November 2021, the two countries had signed a joint agreement to establish a strategic partnership, and another on collaboration in foreign policy and defense. Mitsotakis had also visited Abu Dhabi at the time.

A meeting was also held at an expanded meeting, where the two leaders were joined by the respective delegations for talks.